Post-driver.



PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

W. H. COMPTON.

POST DRIVER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.16. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor,

Witnesses 2; Z

V I/ZZZ PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

W. H. COMPTON. POST DRIVER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.16. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesse Inventor K b9 1 w I 1' I, W I Htkomegs UNITED STATES PatentedJune 13, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

POST-DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,249, dated June 13,1905. Application filed September 16, 1904. Serial No. 224,743.

To all whom it 71mg concern:

Be it known that LXVILLIAM H. COMPTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fargo, in the county of Cass and State of North Dakota, haveinvented a new and useful Post- Driver, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to fence-post drivers; and it has for its objectto provide a device of this class of simple and inexpensive constructionin which the weight-supporting frame may be readily adjustedtransversely and longitudinally to correspond with irregularities in theground-surface and to dispose the weight parallel with relation to thepost that is to be driven.

lVith these and other ends in View the invention consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts,which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of embodiment of the invention, it being, however, understood thatno limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural detailstherein exhibited, but that changes, alterations, and modifications maybe made within the scope of the invention and without departing from thespirit or sacrificing the advantagesof the same.

In said drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a machine constructedin accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top planView of the same with parts of the supporting-frame broken away. Fig. 3is a detail sectional View taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end View of the tripping mechanism illustratedin Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation illustrating a modifiedform of tripping mechanism. Fig. 6 is an end elevation. Fig. 7

v is a detail side view showing thehoisting-drum mounted upon thediagonals of the frame;

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarcharacters of reference.

The improved machine is preferably supported in position for operationupon a base 1, which constitutes the bed of an ordinary wagon and whichin practice will be mounted upon transporting-wheels. (Not shown.) Thebase 1 supports a pair of transverse timbers 2 2. The rear timber 2 isprovided with lugs 4 4L, affording bearings for the laterally-extendingtrunnions 3 of a block 3. The latter is provided in its upper side witha transverse recess forming ears 3, between which .is mounted across-piece 8, said cross-piece being supported pivotally upon a rod 9,which extends through theears 3 and the forward end of which isvertically adjustable in a slot 6 between a pair of uprights 5, thelower ends of which are suitably secured to the front timber 2. Theuprights 5 have spaced perforations 7 for the reception of a pin or key11, adapted to pass through said perforations and through registeringperforations 10 in the rod or member 9.

The cross-piece 8 constitutes the support for the frame of thepost-driver. Said frame is to be constructed, preferably, of irontubing, such as ordinary gas-pipe, which combines lightness withstrength and which is well adapted for the purposes of the device. Saidframe includes the side members 14, provided at their front ends withT-couplings 15, the inner ends of which are connected by a crosspiece16. At the rear ends of the side members lL are T-couplings 17,supporting the lower ends of uprights 18. At the upper ends of thelatter are T-couplings 18, the inner ends of which are connected by acrosspiece 19 and the outer ends of, which are provided withL-couplings19. T-couplings 15 upon the front ends of the side members 14 likewisehave L-couplings 19, which are connected with the L-couplings 19 at theupper ends of the uprights 18 by means of diagonals or inclined members20. The latter, it will be observed, owing to the specific constructiondescribed, are spaced apart wider than the base member 18, which isdesirable in order to aiford convenient access to the working parts. Theframe constructed as just described will be found to possess thedesirable attributes of stiffness, rigidity, lightness, and strength.

21 is a weight which is provided with laterally-extending cars 22,having perforations whereby to engage the uprights 18, between which thesaid weight is guided vertically. A flexible member 23, passing over aguidepulley 24, which is supported from the overhead member 19, connectsthe weights with a winding-drum 25, mounted loosely upon a shaft 26.Firmly secured upon said shaft is a radially-extending arm or member 27,having at its outer end a transverse recess in which is pivoted a dog28, consisting of an elbow-lever, one arm of which constitutes a handlewhereby it may be manipulated and the other end of which is adapted toengage a peripherall'y-notched wheel or dish 29, firmly secured upon oneend of the wimling-drum. The shaft 26 also carries a ratchet-wheel 30,engaged by a pawl 31, which is pivoted to the supporting-frame. Thelatter, which is designated 35, is provided with side bars 34:, uponwhich the blocks or boxes 32, having bearings for the shaft 26, aresecured by means of hook-bolts 33. The supportingframe 35 issubstantially U-shaped, and the legs thereof are of unequal length. Saidsides are adapted to telescope within the side members 14: of the mainframe, whereby the windlass-supporting frame is thus supported inposition for operation, suitable means, such as a set-screw 35, beingemployed when desired for the purpose of retaining the frame inoperative position.

The side members 14 of the base-frame are supported upon the cross-beam8 and are there secured by means of clip-bolts 13. The ends of thecross-beam 8 are provided with horizontally-extending brackets 36,perforated for the passage of bolts 37, which are L-shaped and the lowerends of which are extended through perforations in the rear timber 2,with which they are pivotally connected. The bolts 37 are equipped withwing-nuts 38, bearing against the upper sides of the brackets 36. Itwill be seen that by properly adjusting said wing-nuts the frame may betilted to either side upon the fulcrum aflorded by the .rear end of therod 9, upon which the cross-beam 8 is pivotally mounted. The frame maylikewise be tilted longitudinally by properly adjusting the front end ofthe member 9 with relation to the upright at the front end of themachine.

The operation of this form of the invention will be readily understood.The machine is transported along the course of a fence where the postsare to be driven and is placed. temporarily for operation with theweight in vertical alinement with the position of the post that is to bedriven. By manipulating the crank at the end of the shaft 26 the weightmay be raised, the weight being retained in an elevated position by apawl 31 engaging the ratchet-wheel 30. The operator then by manipulatingthe dog 28 releases the windin -drum or Windlass thus causim the WOI'lIt D r 3 b b The operation may be repeated any to drop.

desired number of times until the post has been driven the desireddistance into the ground, after which the windlass-carrying frame may bewithdrawn rearwardly until the short side member of said frame isdisengaged from the side member of the baseframe. Thewindlass-supporting frame may then be tilted upon its longer side memberas an axis, thus bringing the windlass to an approximately verticalposition and enabling it to readily clear the post which has just beendriven, when the machine is moved forwardly to the next post.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings has been illustrated. a modilied formof trip mechanism. Under this modification the winding-drum 25 upon theshaft 26 is provided with a crownratchet 39. The shaft 26 carries aloose ratchet 41, having a transverse slot or opening 45%, at one sideof which is a lug stat, upon which is pivoted a dog or pawl 46, havingan arm or extension 45, which projects through the slot 44 in theratchet-wheel 45L. Firmly secured to the shaft 26 is a radial arm ormember 40, adapted to engage a lug or projection 4E2, which extendslaterally from the ratchetw'heel ll in the path of said arm. \V hen theshaft is rotated, the arm 40 will engage the lug -12, thereby rotatingthe ratchet-wheel 41, the pawl T6 of which will engage the ratchet 39,thereby causing the wimling-drum to retate. A gravity-pawl 43, mountedto engage the ratchet-wheel 41, serves to prevent reverse rotation ofthe latter. When it is desired to trip the winding-drum, the shaft 26 isrotated in a reverse direction until the arm 40 strikes the projectingarm 45 of the pawl d6, which is thereby disengaged from thewinding-drum, which is thus made free to rotate upon the shaft.

Under some circumstances it may be deemed desirable to dispense with theauxiliary drumcarrying frame 35 and. to support the winding-drum uponthe diagonals 20 of the frame, as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings.This arrangement will be preferred when the winding-drum is to beoperated by a man stationed upon the wagon. l Vhen the operator is stationed upon the ground, the former disposition of the winding-drum will bepreferred.

By the foregoing construction an organized machine is producedpossessing peculiar advantages for the ends in view. It is simple,inexpensive, and easily operated.

l-[aving thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. ln adeviceof the class described, abase, a frame pivotally mounted thereon to rocktransversely and to tilt longitudinally in a vertical plane, means foradjusting the frame in both of said directions, means for securing theframe in its adjusted positions, a weightguide carried by the frame, aweight mounted to travel therein, and means for operating the weight.

2. In a device of the class described, a base having asupporting-timber, ears upon said timber, a recessed member havingtrunnions pivotally engaging said ears, a cross-beam pivotally mountedin said recessed member, bolts pivotally engaging the base-timber,perforated brackets upon the pivoted cross-piece engaging said bolts,and adjusting-nuts upon the latter.

3. In a device of the class described, a basetimber having cars, arecessed memberhaving trunnions pivotally engaging said ears, acrossbeam engaging the recessed member, a pivotal rod for saidcross-piece extendingthrough the latter and through the recessed memberand having a forward extension, means for securing the latter at variousadjustments, means for engaging and for securing at various adjustmentsthe ends of the cross-beam, aframe supported upon the latter, aWeight-guide included in said frame, a Weight mounted to travel in saidguide, and means for operating the Weight.

4. In a device of the class described, a frame comprising tubular sidepieces and a front piece connecting the same, uprights rising near therear ends of the side pieces, a crosspiece connecting the upper ends ofsaid uprights, and diagonals or inclined members spaced laterally fromand connecting the upper and lower cross-pieces.

In a device of the class described, a frame including a base comprisingside members and a cross-piece connecting the front ends of the latter,uprights rising from the rear-ends of the side pieces, a cross-barconnecting the upper ends of said uprights, and diagonals connecting theupper and the front cross-bars,

said diagonals being spaced Wider than the base members and theuprights, in combination With a Weight having perforated ears engagingsaid uprights, and means for operating the Weight.

6. In adevice of the class described, a frame having tubular sidemembers and an auxiliary Windlass-supporting frame having side memberstelescoping Within the side members of the main frame.

7. In a device of the class described, a baseframe having tubular sidemembers and including vertical Weight-guides, in combination with anauxiliary Windlasssupporting frame having side members of unequal lengthtelescoping in the side members of the baseframe.

8. In a device of the class described, a baseframe having tubular sidemembers and including uprights constituting Weight-guides, incombination With an auxiliary Windlasscarrying frame having side membersof un equal length telescoping in the side members of the base-frame, aWindlass, a cross-piece connecting the upper ends of the Weightguides, aWeight having perforated ears engaging said uprights, a guide suspendedfrom the cross piece, a flexible element passing from the Weight, oversaid guide to the Windlass, and means for operating the latter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

VILLIAM H. COMPTON.

l/Vitnesses:

GLENN HALLET'I, H. B. HUNTLEY.

